The Bleeding Moon
by DemonessOfDepartingSorrows
Summary: AU. Sora, a boy plagued by nightmares, meets Kairi, a vampire. For Sora, the wall between fantasy and reality comes crashing down, and Sora and Kairi find themselves caught in the mysteries of an age old prophecy. Sokai. (This is no Twilight, people). On indefinite hiatus, sorry...
1. Tale of Darkness

**Warnings: Blood, possible gore, violence, dark themes, some cursing, suggestive adult themes, mentions of alcohol use, a huge ass of a father…**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kingdom Hearts, or most of the characters that appear in this story. They belong to their respective owners. **

**Claimer: I DO own this story, plot, idea, and two OC's (Gina and Yuki). Please do not use them without my consent.**

**Now, enough of my rambling. Enjoy the fic!**

_-TBM-_

**Chapter One:**

**Tale of Darkness**

_Eternity. The word has different meanings for different beings. For humans, it is only an incomprehensible amount of time; one that some believe will never truly come to be. But for the being of the night, the eternally damned vampires, it is a curse. A curse to live forever, to wander in everlasting darkness, to be frozen in time and abandoned by the world… never to feel paradise. They are constantly plagued by a thirst so maddening only the strongest vampires can control it and stay in their right minds. The thirst is ever burning, ever pleading for the vampire to quench it with the warm red liquid that flows within each human's veins. _

_**Blood**. _

_Bloodlust is what controls them. It twists their desires, makes them want nothing else but to sink their haunting fangs into the soft flesh of a vulnerable human and suck them dry. After all, humans are nothing more than food for the damned. The vampires keep their sanity by draining humans of their blood. They are murderers. No human can escape the wrath of a vampire, because they are made to kill. They fear nothing, because there is nothing for them to fear. The vampires are superior; the humans exist solely for feeding and for the creation of new vampires. Nothing more, nothing less. Vampires don't fear death, because they are already dead. They are undead, therefore they do not age, they do not breath, and their hearts have long since ceased beating. They are eternally incased in their own corpses, never rotting, never changing._

_All though, there is one thing they are afraid of. _

_It is said that there is a hidden door, a door that leads to the purest darkness in existence, known as the Door to Darkness. If that darkness is ever released, it will swallow the world and bring untold destruction for all eternity. Mountains will crumble, oceans will desiccate, and the land will go bare, turn to an endless wasteland engulfed by darkness. People and creatures alike will perish and be consumed by the darkness, never to be saved. The world and all its spoils will belong to darkness. All light, hope, and peace destroyed. Only fear, destruction, and hopelessness will prevail. _

_Well… if it's released, that is. _

_There is a lock on that door, and like all locks it needs a key, but that key has never been found. It is wondered if there even is a key, if it's nothing more than a mere myth. Many have tried to find it, and all have failed, so they have come to the conclusion that the Key to Darkness is nothing more than pure legend. But that is just the mortal's less accepting mind making incorrect conclusions, because that key does, in fact, exist. It has just been hidden. They believed that to find a key that unlocks darkness, you much search in darkness. They couldn't have been more wrong. _

_The Key to Darkness is not hard to find. You just need to know where to look. _

**~V~**

"Come ou', come ou' where'er ya are!" The deep, throaty voice of a man echoed in the dark, dirty, rat infested alley. The sheer roughness of his voice was enough to make a person cringe, but a glimpse of his dark eyes would make them flee in fear. The man's eyes betrayed his kind visage, because they showed plans of ill intent.

He listened to the stillness of the alley, like a predator waiting for prey. Then, the loud clattering of rusted aluminum trash cans falling alerted the man of his prey's location. His dark eyes darted to the side just in time to catch an indication of a teenage girl's leg. A twisted smile spread across the man's face, revealing yellow, crooked teeth. He chased after the retreating girl, his foot knocking against a stray trash can as he rounded the corner and entered the foul smelling alley that the girl had just gone through.

He could see the fifteen year old girl ahead of him, her tall, thin legs moving in rhythm with each other. The pale silvery light of the moon outlined her lithe, perfectly curved body. She looked too beautiful to be human -to be _real_- and yet, there she was. She was there for the taking, and he took his chance, his once in a lifetime chance. He would not let the girl escape, not until he had had his fill of her.

The deranged man chased the girl until they came to a dead end. The teenager stood completely still, her body perfectly erect, as if she were a flawlessly carved statue. She faced the alley's grim covered wall, standing in the shadow provided by the corner, her pursuer mere feet away, the man's morbid excitement glistening in his dark eyes as he skimmed over her perfect figure. The man's smile, if it were possible, got even wider.

"Finally caugh' ya, ma li'l mouse." The man took a step closer to his prey, opening his arms as if inviting the girl to him. "I promise I won' 'urt ya, jus' 'ave a li'l fun." His tone was far from reassuring.

His only response was a small "humph" from the girl, then she- quite literally- disappeared, only to rematerialize behind the man, her cloths settling back onto her body, and her long auburn hair falling around her shoulders, like she had been caught in a powerful wind current. Her head was bent toward the ground, thus causing her bangs to cast a menacing shadow over her face.

The man turned around, startled, and eyed the girl suspiciously. He could now see her outfit clearly. She wore a white tank top under a pale pink hoodie, and dark denim jean shorts. A thick brown belt with a brass, oval shaped belt buckle hugged her hips, and a white teardrop crystal on a golden chain adorned her neck. On her feet were lavender high-top sneakers with black laces.

"What the fuck? 'Ow'd ya do that?" The man hissed.

The girl smirked.

The man growled in anger and lunged at the girl, his hands outstretched for her thin neck. But before he could even touch the girl, a cold, pale hand reached out with such speed that the human eye could not comprehend it and wrapped firmly around the man's throat, effortlessly tossing him into the hard, grimy brick wall.

The man looked up at the girl from his crumpled place on the ground, anger and pain mixing in his eyes to create a truly bewildered expression.

The girl looked over at the man, revealing her indigo colored eyes, her smirk still on her deathly pale, goddess-like face. Her eyes seemed to be laughing at him. It was then that the man realized the predicament he was in.

The prey had been the predator all along.

The teenage girl turned to face the man, her posture still perfect, and her smirk still present on her pale lips. "You're an extremely stupid human, you know that?"

"'Ow in the hell'd you do that?" The man asked, wincing, but the anger in his tone didn't go unnoticed.

The girl's smirk widened. "Well, since you're about to die, I guess I can tell you. My name's Kairi, and…" Her indigo eyes melted into a fierce shade of lustful scarlet, like that of a blood thirst monster. She smiled broadly, revealing long, deadly looking fangs that took on an ethereal glow in the moonlight. "…I'm a vampire."

The man's breath hitched in his throat. "Wha' are ya… some kind a fucked up crack head?" He was scared, yes, but he covered it up with disbelief. To bad for him that Kairi could see right past his façade.

Kairi shook her head, as if to answer the panicked question. Kairi crouched down, like an animal about to pounce at its prey. Her scarlet eyes now seemed to be burning with an internal fire, fueled by her raging bloodlust.

The man tried to back away, but the wall was already pressing against his back, and a large dumpster to his side blocked his escape. He was trapped; trapped between a hard place and death. His eyes were now wide, showing total fear and incredulity at his current situation.

"No! _NO_! Go away! Demon! HELP!" The man screamed in a desperate attempt at salvation.

Kairi's smirk widened, her fangs only becoming more visible, and more intimidating. "Enjoy Hell." She hissed out. Without another word, the vampire attacked.

A terrified, dying scream echoed into the moonlit night.

**~V~**

Sora Gainsborough woke with a start. He jolted straight up in his bed, his sheets and blanket pooling around his waist. His breathing was labored, and he had a horrified expression, like he had just woken from an especially gruesome nightmare; which, he had indeed.

The fifteen year old had dreamt that he was in a dark, barren wasteland, with only a few sinister looking trees, their gnarled branches bearing no sort of vegetation, scattered around the landscape. The sky was a deep grey, looking as if it was dead, and the clouds were like a thin, ghostly mist that snaked its way across the sky. The only illumination was that of a bright ball of white light that hung in the deadened sky- not quite a moon, but definitely not like a sun- looking very out of place in the dark world. But without its light, the most horrifying sight would not have been visible.

Shadows.

Human shadows walked freely, their emaciated forms and tortured moans and cries only sickened and terrified Sora. It was only when the shadows started swarming him that Sora truly started to panic. He thrashed, screamed, kicked, punched, and did whatever he could to escape their cold grasp, but nothing could have gotten them to release Sora as they pulled him into a pit of darkness. And Sora could've sworn he heard them rasp out his name.

Sora had reached his hand out, screaming, _pleading_for someone to rescue him. Oh, Lord, he was beyond terrified. Just as Sora's vision was about to be completely obscured in shadow, two things happened: One, the bright white ball in the sky turned to a red moon, like the moon itself had been bathed in blood. And two, a flash of the most radiant light blinded Sora for an instant, then he felt a deathly cold, yet strangely comforting hand grasp his own and pull him away from the shadows that threatened to consume him.

He didn't get a chance to see his saviors face, everything happened so fast, but he could distinctly make out a female voice, probably belonging to a girl his age. But the strangest thing of all is what she said. "_Don__'__t__ever__forget,__wherever__you__go,__the__light__is__always__with__you__… __as__am__I.__"_

Sora had tried to ask her what she meant, and who she was, but he had suddenly felt himself harshly propelled backwards and… then he woke up.

Sora felt a shiver run up his spine. Nightmares were nothing new for him, but this particular nightmare left a sort of unease over him that he couldn't shake off. Normally, Sora's nightmares were memories of when he and his mother were in an accident a year ago. Sora had come out mostly unscarred, but his mother… had not survived. The memory of the accident still haunted him, no matter how hard he tried to forget it. He could still remember his mother's horrified face, how she screamed his name, fearing for Sora's life rather than her own…

"Sora!" Sora's twin sister, Xion, yelled as she banged on his bed room door. "Get your lazy butt out of bed!"

Sora, startled by Xion's rude interruption, scrambled off his bed. He looked at his alarm clock and silently cursed when he saw the time. He had to be fast. Sora quickly changed into some baggy jeans, a navy blue T-shirt, a black hoodie, and his silver crown pendant. Sora ran his fingers through his brown spiky hair, trying to work out any tangles. When Sora was satisfied with his appearance, he slipped into his sneakers, grabbed his back pack, and ran out of his room, almost bumping into Xion.

"What took you? That was the third time I called." Xion said, crossing her arms and looking levelly at her twin. Xion had short black hair, her bangs cut so her right eye was slightly covered. Xion and Sora shared the same eye color, which was such a deep blue that it could rival the ocean, really the only feature that made them look remotely alike. Xion wore a black tank top, and a black hoodie. Her dark blue skinny jeans were tucked into black faux-leather high heeled boots.

Sora rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry. I had another nightmare."

Xion's expression softened into one of understanding. "Wanna talk about it?" She asked as they started walking down the hall. Xion had been very supportive of Sora, always offering encouragement, listening to him, comforting him when he needed it, and overall just being there for him, which Sora was very grateful for.

Sora shrugged. "Nah." The look Xion sent him was enough to tell him that she would pry the information out of him if she needed to, and Sora knew she would. So, to save him some trouble, he decided that telling Xion would be better than trying to hide it, but that didn't mean he had to tell her at this particular moment. "I'll tell you later."

"I'll hold you to that."

Sora fidgeted with the hem of his hoodie, slightly uncomfortable, so he decided to change the subject. "So… is Riku here yet?"

"Yeah. He's been here since seven. He was going to come up and drag you out of bed, but lucky for you, I took the liberty of getting you myself." Xion said, smiling.

"Wouldn't be the first time he's done that." Sora said, laughing lightly.

Riku was a year older than Sora, and the two had been best friends since they were kids, and Riku and Xion had recently started dating. Because of this, Riku liked to come over every morning so they could walk to school together. It was like a tradition.

"Look who decided to join the living!" Riku's voice boomed as Sora and Xion entered the kitchen.

Sora looked up, seeing Riku sitting at the kitchen table, smiling smugly. Riku had long, layered silver hair, his bangs hanging over his aquamarine eyes. Riku had a broad, muscular build, unlike Sora who was fairly thin. Riku had on a grey T-shirt under a black hoodie, baggy jeans and a black studded belt.

"Haha, very funny." Sora said in playful sarcasm.

Xion made her way over to Riku and pecked him on the cheek, then wrapped her arms around his neck from behind. "Give him a break, Riku. He had another nightmare."

Riku's eyes lit up in understanding, and he looked over at Sora with sympathy. "You alright?"

Sora smiled and nodded. "It wasn't like the others, but still kinda creepy."

"Give it time and you'll stop having them. You're already doing better. Last year you had them every night, right? Now it's every once in a while." Riku said, trying to cheer Sora up.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Riku." Sora knew that Riku thought he had another nightmare about the accident, not about shadow people trying to kill him. Still, Sora appreciated Riku's concern. It made him feel cared for.

Xion released Riku and crossed her arms. "Alright, we should get going if we want to be on time. Sora, if you're going to have breakfast, I suggest you eat it on the way."

Sora opened the refrigerator and grabbed a container of cream cheese, then went to a cupboard and pulled out a bag of bagels. He took out one bagel, tore it in half and spread the cream cheese over one half and put the other half back into the bag. Sora turned around, heading for the front door. "Ready."

Riku and Xion hurried after him, holding hands.

Sora stepped onto the porch, looking up at the overcast sky. He once again thought about what that voice had said in his nightmare, wondering what its significances was. Sora was struck with the strangest feeling that its meaning would completely alter his life…

For good or for worse, Sora hadn't the slightest clue.

**Author'sNote: It doesn't take much to make my day *points to review button* **


	2. Eyes in the Night

**Chapter Two:**

**Eyes in the Night**

Sora sat at his kitchen table, trying to solve a very tricky math equation. He had never been good at math. He was better at History… though his dislike of the subject may have stemmed from his past math teachers who seemed to _love_ assigning loads of homework. Sighing, Sora leaned his head on his palm, looking out the window at the twilight sky. The fading light filtered through the window, casting the kitchen in a relaxing light.

Sora had been contemplating his nightmare the entire day. He just couldn't get it out of his head. He felt like it wasn't just a dream, that it wasn't something to forget about and move on with life. No, it was like destiny, or fate, was trying to tell him something, and for the life of him he couldn't figure it out! It was like the meaning was dangling right in front of him, taunting him, and he simply couldn't get a firm grasp on it. It was driving him crazy!

Sora was brought out of his musings as he heard Xion sit down next to him, pulling out her own homework. Sora and Xion had most of the same teachers, so they often did their homework together. Tonight was no different.

Instead of starting her homework, though, Xion decided that now was a good time to ask Sora about that nightmare he'd had last night. "So, you gonna tell me now?"

Sora looked up from his math sheet, knowing what Xion wanted. She was usually patient with these things, knowing exactly the right time to ask. Xion was just like that. Sora sighed, deciding to tell his twin about his nightmare, though he really didn't want to. Why exactly, Sora didn't know. It just felt like something he should keep to himself… But Xion could help him understand it a little better, so he took a deep breath, preparing to answer her.

"Well-" Just then, Sora was interrupted by a flash of light coming from the window, and the sound of screeching car breaks. Crap, their father was home. Now, it wasn't that that they didn't like their father- quite the opposite, actually- it was just that he had been a little… unstable since their mother died. He had been an alcoholic before the accident, yes, but something inside him snapped when his wife died, and so he had taking to heavy drinking, coming home wasted almost every night. And the guy was _not_ a happy drunk.

Sora and Xion reacted quickly, packing up their binders and pencils and stuffing them in their backpacks, and hurrying up stairs. It was smart to stay away from their father until he could get at least a little sobered up… which it was rare that he even tried to, he was that depressed.

The twins dashed into their respective rooms, dumping their backpacks, and meeting back in the dim hall. This had become routine for them. On the nights their father returned from the bar early, they would wait until he was occupied with something (like watching television, or, in some cases, drinking more) before they slipped out of the house and went to either Riku's home or to their Aunt Aerith and Uncle Zack's house.

Sora and Xion listened to their father as he stumbled around in the kitchen, randomly cursing and hitting things. They crept closer to the stairs, being as quite as possible. When they heard their father open another beer, and what sounded like one of the kitchen chairs being pulled from the table, they quickly but quietly ascended the stairs, and snuck out the front door.

From inside the house, Sora and Xion could hear their father chanting 'Gina' over and over, sounding like a truly heartbroken man. The twins exchanged sorrowful looks before running off into the cold, dark night.

**~V~**

It was not a lie to say that Kairi loved the moon. She could always find solace in its soft, silvery light. To the vampire, the moon was like a beacon of hope, hanging in the night sky for all to see and cherish. It had been centuries since she'd seen the harsh light of the sun, so she had more or less forgotten what it looked like, forgotten how it used to warm her skin. She did occasionally see the twilit sky, just after the sun had dipped below the horizon, and that was as close she had gotten to seeing the sun since she became a vampire. Since she was cursed to be a creature of the night for eternity. It was sad, really. It was also unfair. The mortals got to walk under both the sun and moon, without having to worry about being burned to a measly pile of ash.

Kairi was jealous, to say the least. But she wasn't about to let that jealousy get the better of her. Her heart may not be beating, but she was far from cold hearted. Hating the mortals simply because they were alive was just stupid, in her opinion. Yes, Kairi did feed off the humans, but she only took what she needed from them, and she picked her prey carefully. She wasn't about to kill an innocent human simply because she was hungry. That would be rude. Not to mention that would probably lead to her becoming like the other less respectful vampires who killed humans for sport. Kairi _hated_those types of vamps. It was almost like they had forgotten that they had once been human, and so had lost all respect for the vulnerable beings. It was understandable if the vampire was ancient, so the memories of their human lives were almost nonexistent, but it was still wrong, and it made Kairi sick.

In all honestly, Kairi loved the mortals. They always amused her with all their new 'advancements', and just watching them make history without a single thought about how it would effect the future made her laugh. But she had to remember that she couldn't get involved in their affairs, even though she was greatly tempted to, just to see how they'd react.

Kairi sighed, standing from her position on the catacomb's stone floor, and heading toward the chamber's exit. She was quite hungry, and she was sure that the sun had set. She was a few feet from the arched doorway when the only other vampire in the room decided to ask her a question.

"Are you going hunting, Kairi?"

Kairi turned her attention to her twin sister, Naminé, who was situated in a corner, a sketchbook and pencil in her hands. Naminé had pale blond hair, which was gathered so it fell over her right shoulder, and her bangs were swept to the right side of her face. Her indigo eyes were exactly like Kairi's, as was her face structure. She wore a simple white dress and blue sandals. It was easy to say that Naminé was beautiful, which was only enhanced because of the fact that she was a vampire.

Kairi nodded. "Yeah, you want to come?"

Naminé shook her head, looking back at her drawing. "No, I'm not very hungry. I was just wondering."

Kairi cocked her head, smiling. She made her way over to Naminé, and squatted next to her, watching as Naminé continued drawing. Naminé was a brilliant artist, and it was a shame that no one but their coven could see her talents. Naminé was currently drawing what looked like a landscape, and though it was far from finished, Kairi could tell that it was going to be an amazing piece. Probably better than anything a human has ever made. Which was understandable. Naminé did have three centuries worth of practice compared to the few short decades the mortals had.

"And what's our little Naminé drawing now? I bet it's another master piece!"

Naminé and Kairi looked up when they heard their elder sister, Aqua, enter the room, followed by her mate, Terra.

Aqua would forever look like she was seventeen, when in reality she was three hundred years old. She had short layered, blue hair, and her side bangs touched her jaw line. Her eyes were like bright shards of ice, like they were reflecting a blue flame, truly a beautiful and unique color. She wore a black halter top, dark denim mini skirt with skin-tight black shorts underneath, knee-high leather boots, black arm warmers, and a black chocker. Overall, Aqua was worthy of being called a goddess.

Terra looked only a year older that Aqua. He had layered chocolate colored hair, which was styled so his bangs hugged his temples and lightly brush his cheek, and a very small Mohawk. He wore a tight fitting grey t-shirt, beige baggy pants, black sneakers, a black leather belt, and a black band on his right wrist. If looks really could kill, pretty much anyone who even glimpsed Terra would drop dead.

Naminé smiled timidly. It was obvious that Aqua's compliment had made her happy. Aqua sauntered over to her younger sisters, sitting on Naminé's opposite side. Terra just leaned against a wall, crossing his arm and smiling. "So, have any of you seen Vincent?"

Vincent was their sire, as in the vampire that changed them, and he liked to disappear at random times, and no one really knew where he went. Sometime's he'd be gone for a few hours, or sometimes even a few weeks. Whenever they asked about it he'd just say something along the lines of it being none of their concern. Even Master Eraqus, an ancient and highly respected vampire who acted as their insight to the Vampire Council and their teacher, didn't even know where he went.

Kairi was the one to answer. "No idea. I bet he's fine, though. He always is."

Terra grunted. "Yeah, but it doesn't mean he can disappear without saying a single word."

"I'm sure he has his reasons." Aqua added. "It's not like he's going to abandon us."

Terra nodded, straightening from his position on the wall. "But I'd still like to know what's going on. It's only fair. We've been with him for a good three hundred years, and he knows everything about us, so I find it a little strange that he can't tell us anything about him."

The three undead sisters contemplated this for a moment, then nodded their agreement.

"You're right, Terra, but it's still not our place to snoop in his business." Kairi said. "I think he'll tell us when he's ready. You know how he is."

Terra sighed. He clearly wasn't going to let this matter sit for long. But Vincent wasn't the type to give in to pressure. He was about as unmovable as a mountain when it came to his force of will, which was one reason Kairi trusted him so much.

With one swift, graceful movement Kairi stood, making her way to the exit. "Well, I'm going hunting. I'll be back before sunrise."

**~V~**

Sora and Xion walked silently through the park, which was the fastest way to Riku's house. Due to the darkness, the street lamps had been turned on, offering small amounts of light for late night travelers, though there were still plenty of shadows for dangers to lurk in. It slightly unnerved the twins to be out in the open, especially at night. And for some unexplained reason, they couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was watching them.

Xion stopped abruptly when she caught movement from the corner of her eye. She immediately grabbed onto Sora's arm, and scrutinized the thick gathering of trees and shrubs a little ways from the dirt path. She could've sworn she saw something move…

"Xi…?" Xion could hear the uneasy question in Sora's voice.

She turned to look at him, motioning at the trees. "I thought I saw someone…"

Sora turned to watch the dark trees, not seeing anything. If there really was someone there, then it was best if they got out of the park and to Riku's as quickly as possible. Who knew what kind of freaks were out at this hour? "… It was probably just you're imagination. C'mon, let's go." Sora pulled on Xion's arm, and she followed him willingly.

Once the twins were out of sight, Kairi emerged from the thick shadows of the trees. She looked in the direction Sora and Xion had gone. Kairi cocked her head, running her tongue over her lips. There was something about that boy…

Not giving it anymore thought, Kairi followed them.

**~V~**

Sora and Xion practically ran up to Riku's front door, banging on it impatiently. It wasn't long before Riku's mother, Yuki Jenova, answered the door, the woman's beautiful face softening upon seeing the twins. Yuki was a very attractive woman with a heart shaped face. Her long dark hair fell around her shoulders in waves, and her aquamarine eyes- so much like Riku's own eyes- held a comforting light within them, her warm smile only making it more visible. Though, once Yuki registered the teen's expressions, she frowned.

"He did it again, I assume?"

Sora and Xion nodded slowly.

Yuki sighed as if she were disappointed, which she most likely was. Stepping aside, Yuki made room for the twins to enter the house, and Sora and Xion quickly walked in, smiling at Yuki gratefully before she closed the door.

Yuki then ambled to the stairs, yelling up to Riku. "Riku! Sora and Xion are here!"

From upstairs, Sora and Xion could hear fast passed footsteps, then what sounded like a door being thrown open, then Riku barreled down the stairs. Riku, not wasting a moment, crossed the distance between him and Xion and enveloped his girlfriend into a hug, Xion returning it wholeheartedly.

"You guys okay?" Riku asked. The concern in his voice was evident.

Sora nodded. "Yeah. I don't think he even knew we were there."

From her place near the banister, Yuki shook her head, her lips set into a fine line. "I swear if Genesis doesn't straighten out soon, you two are just going to live here. If that man thinks Sephiroth is going to keep giving him his pay check, he's got another thing coming. I know my husband, and he isn't going to stand for this kind of behavior much longer, the fact that their friends be damned." Yuki then went into the kitchen, muttering things under her breath.

Sora and Xion's father, Genesis, worked for Riku's father, Sephiroth, and the two men had been friends for years. Because of this friendship, Sephiroth couldn't bring himself to fire his longtime friend, especially since he knew that Sora and Xion would end up paying for it. Sephiroth had tried many times to persuade Genesis to get help, but the man stubbornly refused. He said he didn't need help, and that only worried the Jenova's more. So, in an attempt to protect Sora and Xion from their father's wrath, they opened their home to them anytime they needed it. When they said 'anytime', they meant _anytime._It could be during the apocalypse and they'd happily let the twins in.

Riku quietly ushered Sora and Xion into the living room, gesturing for them to sit down. Riku and Xion sat on the sofa, Riku's arm slung around Xion's shoulders, and Sora sat in an armchair, leaning into it with a sigh.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, only interrupted by Yuki cleaning the kitchen, Riku tensed up, quickly glancing at the window. In the kitchen, they could hear Yuki drop a plate or something in the sink. Riku discreetly pulled Xion closer to him, as if he was expecting something to happen. Sensing Riku's discomfort, Sora and Xion both stayed completely silent.

Sora looked around the room cautiously, not finding anything out of place. "What's wrong, Riku?" He asked quietly.

Riku shook his head. "Nothing, Sora… I just thought I heard something." Riku visibly relaxed, though he kept stealing cold glances at the window.

Sora and Xion exchanged looks, shrugged, and started conversation with Riku. For the most part, the evening went on normally, though Riku was still a little tense at times, but every time Sora and Xion asked, he would say that it was nothing to worry about, so the twins just brushed it off as Riku having an off day.

They couldn't have known that there was an undead blood-sucking girl spying on them from outside. Nope, that never even crossed their minds.

Kairi watched the humans curiously. She had gotten a little wry when the silvered haired one tensed up, almost like he knew she was there, but he never acted, so she eventually got herself comfortable and continued to observe them. She had to admit, she quite liked that Sora boy… it was strange, but she did. So, determined to get to know him a little better, she listened to their conversations intently, feeling almost nostalgic. She was getting great enjoyment just watching how the humans interacted with each other, as the only times she interacted with humans was when she hunted them… which at that point they weren't really good for conversation.

Sooner than she would have liked, the three humans decided to go upstairs, so Kairi left, though she made a promise to herself that she would personally meet that spiky haired boy, Sora, as something about him… interested her, and she'd be damned twice if she didn't get a chance to speak to him. Kairi vanished into the shadows of the night, anticipating her meeting with the human.

**Author'sNote: Eh, I'm not very happy with the first part of the chapter, but overall I think it's decent…**

**And ****holy ****crap! ****I ****was ****NOT ****expecting ****that ****many ****reviews ****on ****the ****first ****chapter!****I ****was ****only ****expecting ****a ****few, ****not ****the ****six ****that ****I ****got ****XD ****Thank ****you ****for ****reviewing, ****and ****please ****review ****again, ****if ****you****'****d ****be ****so ****kind^_^**


	3. Little Lost Children

**Chapter Three:**

**Little Lost Children**

"Does that girl have even _one_ weakness?"

The bitterly uttered sentence echoed through the cold, damp cave. It was pitch black in the deep recesses of the cave, and the sounds of dripping water could be heard in the dead silence. It would appear that the cavern was completely empty, but that conclusion would lead to a slow and painful death. Once one's eyesight adjusted to the blackness enveloping the cave, figures of two men in concealing black coats would be eerily visible.

The man that had spoken was quietly seething, his fingers balled into tight fists.

His companion was leaning against the rock wall, his thickly muscled arms folded on his chest. "She does. She is just too talented in hiding it… or, it could be that she has yet to find that which is so important to her that she would give anything to protect it."

The other threw his hands up, seemingly like he was giving up. "Ha, yeah, sure, then I guess we're stuck here waiting for her to 'find' her weakness so we can exploit it against her. That'll make the Superior happy."

"We may not have to wait much longer."

"Huh?"

Though it was not visible, a smirk played across his lips. "I feel a wind about to blow in out favor."

**~V~**

Sora rubbed his neck, yawning loudly. He hadn't been getting any sleep for the past week, the dream with the killer shadows replaying every night, like it was persistently trying to tell him something. _Warn_ him about something. Sora could never get back to sleep after, he was just too scared, and so he had taken to sleeping in class, much to his teacher's disapproval and classmate's amusement.

Sighing, Sora sat up from lying on the couch when he heard Xion enter the living room, carrying two bowls of macaroni and cheese. His twin sat next to him, offering him one of the bowls, which he took with a soft thank you, and started to shovel the cheesy macaroni into his mouth. Xion was a bit more controlled with her eating.

"Dad's not home yet…" Xion whispered.

Sora swallowed his mouthful of macaroni before answering her. "He's probably still at the bar…"

Sora and Xion both knew that their father wouldn't go to the one bar that would actually make him stay sober, and that was 7th Heaven, their Aunt Tifa and Uncle Cloud's privately owned bar. Cloud was their mother's older brother, so they thought that Genesis avoided him because - in some strange way - Cloud reminded him of his late wife. Tifa and Cloud's twin sons, Roxas and Ventus, looked almost exactly like Cloud, so Genesis avoided them as well. It was a good thing that they went to the same school, otherwise Sora and Xion would never be able to see their cousins.

Luckily it wasn't the same with their fathers' side of the family. Their Aunt Aerith and Uncle Zack lived so close they were always dropping by, along with their two kids, Denzel and Marlene.

Sora and Xion were so glad they had such a wonderful family, because without them, they would have lost hope long ago.

And don't even get started about the support their friends gave them – It was practically infinite.

Sora and Xion finished eating in silence, then they washed their dishes, cleaned up the kitchen, and watched television for a few hours, until nine o'clock. The twins had the volume up so loud they didn't hear their father pull his car into the drive way, so they were startled when they heard the front door open and Genesis come stumbling in.

By the way Genesis's posture was, and how his speech was slurred, it was obvious that he was drunk. Sora and Xion tensed on the couch, watching with wide, alarmed blue eyes. Xion kept sending Sora subtle hand motions, telling him to run. It was Sora that Genesis always went after, as his deranged mind blamed Sora for his wife's death, even though the poor boy was just as much a victim as his mother, he'd just been the lucky one to survive. But did Genesis acknowledge that? Nope.

Sora and Xion just wanted their father back to the way he was before the accident. They missed how he always used to recite lines from his favorite play, _Loveless,_and, most importantly, they missed having him as a _father._ It was like the man he was before was drowned in despair and alcohol, lost in darkness, and the twins couldn't seem to reach him, pull him back out, no matter how desperately they tried.

Genesis's eyes lazily trailed over to the couch, his cobalt eyes immediately landing on Sora. Genesis's expression heated into one of hate and anger.

"You little MURDERER!" Genesis yelled.

Sora shot to his feet, terrified. Xion stood in front of him, trying to shield him from their drunken father. When Genesis barreled towards the twins, Xion tried to defend her wide-eyed brother from their father, but he easily knocked her aside, leaving Sora with no means of protecting himself. Genesis got a firm grip on Sora's arm, and holding Sora in place, Genesis punched his son on the side of his head. His solid gold wedding ring- which he never took off- cut right into Sora's temple, drawing blood- the force of the punch enough to make Sora momentarily black out.

If it wasn't for Xion throwing the nearest blunt object at Genesis, the next hit may have sent Sora in to unconsciousness.

Taking advantage of Genesis's shock, Sora slipped his arm free, and he and Xion ran out of the house, their father yelling after them. Sora and Xion ran, not really paying attention to where they were going.

They only knew that they had to escape their vicious father.

**~V~**

When Sora and Xion were sure their lungs would burst, and their legs felt like jelly, they stopped their franticly paced running, bending over with their hands on their knees, breathing harshly.

Xion regained her breathe before Sora, and bringing her head up, she gasped when she saw the side of her brother's head, where Genesis had struck him. There was a trail of blood seeping down his temple, where Genesis's wedding ring had cut him, and the flesh was already starting to bruise. By the way Sora was shaking she knew the head wound was bothering him.

"Sora, you're bleeding."

Sora tenderly touched the wound, wincing when the slight contact sent a shock of pain through his head. His legs started to weaken, so Xion lead him to the nearest place to sit, which happened to be a conveniently placed bench. With Xion guiding him, Sora eased his way onto the cold seat, holding his head. Xion sat next to him, inspecting his wound, grimacing.

"How bad is it?" Sora whispered.

"I don't think you have a concussion or anything, but we should have Aunt Aerith take a look at it, just to be sure."

Sora nodded, and when his head stopped spinning and his legs didn't feel like jelly, Xion helped lead him to the Fair household, where they knew they'd be safe.

They had always been safe and happy with them.

**~V~**

It took longer than usual to reach their Aunt and Uncle's home, seeing as Xion had to help Sora walk. Making their way up to the small porch, Xion kept a steadying arm out for Sora as she knocked on the door, stepping back and wrapping her arm around his waist and slinging his arm over her shoulder a moment after. From inside the house they could hear shuffling, and then the door was opened, light spilling through the portal, illuminating the twins, only showing them as the little lost children they truly were.

It was Aerith who answered the door, and when she saw Sora, she paled, her emerald eyes going wide. "What happened?" She breathed out, her voice saturated with worry. She then stepped out onto the porch, hands fussing over her injured nephew.

"Dad hit him…"

Aerith scowled- something completely foreign to her. Not saying anything, Aerith took Sora from Xion, steadying him with arm around his shoulders. She gently sat him on the couch, disappearing in the kitchen soon after. Xion sat next to Sora, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. Sora, in turn, laid his hand atop hers and squeezed it reassuringly.

"I'm fine, Xi." He said softly.

Xion's expression was one of love and sympathy for her twin, but the worry showed though effortlessly. "I wish I could believe you..."

Sora didn't answer, only closed his eyes and let a single tear slide down his cheek. He just wanted everything to go back the way it was a year ago, but no matter how much he wished for that, it would never come true. His mother had been forcefully ripped out of his life, and his father was now a ruthless drunk who blamed all his misery on his only son. That was what hurt the most, knowing that the one man who was supposed to love him above all else hated him for simply surviving. That stung more than anything.

Aerith returned quickly, holding a bowl of water, a wash cloth, disinfectant, and bandages. She set the supplies on the coffee table, dipping the cloth in the water, and ringing it out so it was damp enough to clean the blood. She turned towards Sora, tenderly dabbing at the blood staining the side of Sora's head, trying not to hurt him. Sora cringed back a few times, nonetheless. Once the blood was cleaned, Aerith disinfected the cut and used two small white bandages to keep it closed. Running her fingers through Sora's spiky mess of hair comfortingly, Aerith brought her nephew and niece into a hug. They held each other for a while, only breaking apart when Sora decided to ask a question.

"Where's Uncle Zack?"

"He's working, but he'll be back in the morning. Marlene and Denzel will be happy to see you two." Aerith smiled sadly, looking into the eyes of Sora and Xion, seeing how absolutely wounded their souls and hearts were. "Okay, why don't you two get some sleep? Xion, you can have the guest room, and Sora can have the couch."

When Sora and Xion nodded their agreement, Aerith went to get a blanket and pillow for Sora, and Xion quietly made her way upstairs to the guest room. Aerith returned soon enough, placing the blanket and pillow on the couch and then hugging Sora again, wishing him goodnight. Aerith left after that, and Sora flopped down on the couch, kicking off his shoes. He laid there for a while, until he assumed it was eleven o'clock. Sora couldn't bring himself to sleep.

Sighing, Sora sat up, running his fingers over his bandaged wound… he just wanted his mother back, but he knew that was impossible… Even so, that didn't mean he couldn't go see her, even if it was just her grave. Standing, Sora put on his shoes, walked to the front door as if he were a ghost, opening and closing the door with an eerie silence.

**Author'sNote: …. Man, I HATE this chapter… but it's the best I can do. I was working through some writer's block, and if it wasn't for Dark Maiden95 and her suggestions, this chapter would still be sitting in my documents, only a page of the way done.**

**And a very happy Thanks Giving to everyone! :D **

**Now, reviews, anyone? I'm a sucker for reviews!**


	4. Angel Without Wings

**Author'sNote: Holy crap! It has definitely been a while, huh? I am so, so sorry. School and my life have just gotten in the way of everything. I've barely had anytime to myself the last few months… C'mon, people, I know I'm not the only one swamped with work!**

**This chapter my go kinda fast… Just a warning. I couldn't think of how to slow it down…**

**Also, if anyone _thinks_ this story is turning even _REHMOTLY_like _Twilight_, please, please, PLEASE yell at me. That is the last thing I want this fic to be like… I have read the _Twilight_saga, so some elements may get in here through my subconscious… and I really don't want that. So, please? I know most of you don't want that either, so keep a look out for it. **

**Thanks!**

_-TBM-_

**Chapter Four:**

**Angel Without Wings**

Graveyards were creepy places, what with countless dead people being buried in the ground, and the fact that it was so _dark_, and the frightening statues they sometimes had on headstones. People made those to look like angels? Seriously, they looked more like demonic spirits that would come alive at any moment and eat your soul. Definitely not an angel. And yet, Sora walked through the dark graveyard like it didn't bother him. Which, it really didn't. As long as he was close to his mother, nothing could hurt him- or, at least, that's how he saw it.

His mother had always protected him… Even when she was taking her last breath, she protected him. And even in her death, it seemed, she protected him in anyway she could, even if it was just watching over him from heaven, or wherever people go when they die… He just hoped that, wherever his mother's spirit now resided, that she was happy. That's all he wished for.

He could remember waking up in the hospital, Xion holding his hand tightly, his father sitting tensely in a chair across the room, the man's face buried in his hands. Sora couldn't remember what happened; hell, he couldn't even feel anything thanks to the morphine. It wasn't until Xion had realized he was awake and started balling her eyes out in relief that he knew something was terribly wrong.

Sora had asked where their mom was, but that just made Xion cry harder and Genesis distraughtly left the hospital room.

It was only then Sora knew something was terribly, horribly, _wrong_.

Within the expanse of several hours riddled with doctors mercilessly testing him, the memories of the accident came back with full force. He remembered that they were driving home; it was late, after dark, because the blitz ball game they were at had gone into overtime, which Tidus and Wakka, two of Sora's friends, were very proud of because their team had won.

There was a big semi-truck that came at them, seeming like the driver had lost control. It had happened so fast Sora barely had time to think about what was about to happen. He didn't remember pain, didn't remember losing consciousness, didn't remember the deafening sound of the crash; he only remembered his mother's terrified face staring at him, framed in the yellow light of the semi's headlights, right before the collision that took her life.

…That expression would haunt him for the rest of his life, he knew.

Sora's thoughts ran short as he neared the all-too-familiar gravestone, its polished grey stone gleaming in the moonlight. Sora kneeled in front of the grave, tracing the tips of his fingers over the rough engravings on his mother's headstone.

_Gina Gainsborough_

_1967 – 2009_

_Loving Wife and Mother_

_Scientiae __Custos_**(1)**

Sora had to hold back an involuntary sob. It should have been _him_ in a grave, not his mother. Never his mother. He should have at least gone with her, that way he wouldn't be plagued with guilt. He didn't know why he felt like her death was his fault- aside from the fact that his father had been telling him that for the past year- but he _knew_ that he was somehow at fault for her death, even if it had been an 'accident'.

Taking a shuddering breath, Sora spoke. "Hey, Mom…" And that was all he could bring himself to say. There was so much he wanted to tell her, but he couldn't find the words or the voice to say them. So, he just sat there, looking at his mother's grave, fighting back tears.

He sat in silence for what felt like hours, remembering her smile, her light, her warmth… her love… All gone, locked away in the tomb of oblivion because of one stupid accident.

Opening and closing his mouth a few times, failing to get the words out, Sora finally forced his voice to work, whispering sadly, forlornly, to his mother.

"Why did you leave us, Mom?"

**~V~**

Kairi leaned against a large tomb stone, gazing up at the starry night sky. Kairi lifted a finger, wiping a drop of blood from her mouth. She held her finger at eye level, watching as the scarlet droplet dangled on her finger, like a perfect red pearl. Quietly, it fell from Kairi's skin, connecting to the ground, reduced to a small speck of red.

A few minutes ago, she had heard a human enter the graveyard, which she found it odd that one would come at such a late hour. What time was is? Midnight? Humans were usually sound asleep by now. But, apparently, this human decided to mourn now, opposed to during the day. Well, this human certainly was lucky that Kairi had already sated her hunger for the night and-

Holy crap, they smelled familiar.

Kairi was positive she knew who this human was- the boy who she had first seen in the park. Sora, if she remembered correctly.

Lips curling into a pleased smile, Kairi wiped the last of the blood from her mouth. She hadn't expected to be able to meet him so soon, but this was a wonderful opportunity and she wasn't going to pass it up. Pushing off of the tomb stone, Kairi practically glided in the humans' direction.

As she neared him, she could see that he was crouched in front of a solitary tomb stone, his knees hugged to his chest. Kairi slowed her pace, now walking soundlessly and gracefully through the row of graves until she stood a few feet behind him.

She stayed silent for a while, just watching him. He seemed tense, just staring at the name on the headstone before him. '_Gina__Gainsborough__'_. His mother, perhaps? Poor boy. No child should ever lose a parent so early in life. It was outright cruel to rip someone as influential as a parent away too early, and she could only imagine the pain he must have felt, must still feel.

Kairi barely remembered her parents, being three hundred years old her memories had faded to images that felt like far off dreams; she was lucky to remember her own birthday. This boy was still human, still had all of his memories clear as day, so the memory of his lost mother must plague him every waking hour. If that wasn't torture, Kairi didn't know what was.

Smiling faintly, Kairi wandered up next to him and kneeled down. He didn't seem to notice, so Kairi decide that she needed to speak to get his attention.

"Hello."

Sora jerked, the heavenly light voice startling him. He whipped his head around, seeing a girl about his age squatting next to him, smiling kindly- sympathetically.

Dear God, she's an angel.

The girl had long, silky auburn hair that glittered in the moon light, her big indigo eyes shining brightly. Her skin was sheet pale and perfectly smooth, not a single blemish upon it. Her body was perfectly curved, thin, and long, sleek legs. Her cloths showed off her body immaculately, her white tank top under her pale pink hoodie was form-fitting, but not so much that it looked like it was constricting her air supply, and her dark jean shorts did well in showcasing her legs. She looked like a model. Or an angel. An angel without wings, that's what she must be.

"Uh…" Sora couldn't get his voice to work.

The girl just giggled and held out her hand, which Sora took tentatively, still entranced by her appearance. Kairi's skin was just as smooth as it looked, and she was considerably cold… abnormally cold. Maybe she was anemic?

"I'm Kairi." She introduced herself. She seemed a bit too excited to be meeting a boy late at night in the middle of a graveyard, but that didn't really bother Sora, he just found it a bit odd.

Sora shook himself out of his musings, "Uhm… I'm Sora."

Sora released her hand and Kairi smiled widely. Giving a small nod, she glanced at Gina's gravestone and cocked her head in innocent curiosity. "Who was she?"

Sora could tell she was genuinely curious. "She's… She's my mother."

Instantly, Kairi's joyful expression turned to one of sorrowful sympathy. "I'm so sorry…"

Sora turned away from Kairi, gazing nonchalantly at the headstone. "It's okay… It's been a year now… It- it doesn't hurt as much anymore."

Kairi nodded in acknowledgement. "I lost my parents a long time ago." Kairi said softly, reaching out to trace Gina's name with one long, pale finger. "I don't even remember what they looked like… but I remember their love." She smiled at Sora, her indigo eyes dancing with distant memories. "If my sisters and I didn't have each other, we probably never would've gotten through it."

Sora returned her smile. What were the chances of meeting someone who had gone through the same thing as him? "Yeah, my sister and I have been supporting each other… I don't know what we'd do alone."

"That's good." Kairi leaned back to look at the night sky, the stars twinkling in her eyes. "As humans, we need companionship… otherwise we're just empty shells. It's good that you have someone looking out for you, too." Sora could've sworn he saw Kairi frown forlornly when she said 'humans', but he shook it off as his mind playing a trick on him.

Sora chuckled, leaning back to watch the stars with Kairi. He felt at ease for the first time in months. This girl had a strange affect on him, and he wasn't sure if he should be weirded out or go along with it. It was then that Sora realized how close their hands were, they were almost touching. He blushed and discreetly pulled his hand away. Sora turned away from Kairi, trying to hide his blush, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"So… um… What are you doing out here, Kairi?" He said nervously.

Kairi perked up. If she noticed Sora was blushing, she certainly hid it well. And Sora was just glad that the darkness hid the huge bruise that was forming on the side of his face; he didn't want Kairi to ask about it.

She shrugged. "I like taking night time walks… and I had a sudden impulse to come into the cemetery." She smiled brightly at Sora. And for some odd reason, Sora didn't think that was the whole truth, but he wasn't going to pry. "I'm glad I did. And what about you, Sora? Why did you decide to come here so late?"

Kairi truly was curious to Sora's answer.

Sora sighed, his eyes flashing back to Gina's headstone. "I come here whenever I need to be close to her… Helps me feel better."

Kairi nodded, showing her understanding, but she didn't pry for more information, which Sora was grateful for. He did not want to tell her about his father, that he and Xion had to run from him just to stay safe. That was not something he wanted to talk about- At all.

They conversed aimlessly for a while after that. Sora could truly say that he felt at ease with Kairi, like he could be completely himself and not worry about anything.

Sora hadn't realized how badly he needed that until just now.

**Author'sNote: Well, here we go! Sora and Kairi have finally met! And Sora seems to be completely slow, doesn't he? Well, that'll just make it more interesting for late in the story, huh? Overall, I feel pretty good about this chapter. **

**(1) **_Scientiae __Custos: _**This ****is ****Latin ****for**** "****Keeper ****of ****Knowledge****" – ****This ****is ****a ****plot ****point, ****so ****you****'****ll ****get ****what ****I ****mean ****later.**

**Again, so sorry for the long wait. Just know that I will not give up on this story, so you are secured with updates, however infrequent they may be.**

**But, if you want a chance of me updating faster, reviews give me more drive! *hint hint, wink wink* ;D **


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